How Far We've Come
by ABalletBun
Summary: A series of drabbles based on post-daylighters Eve, Michael, Claire and Shane.
1. Smiling

Hi, everyone :) So I re-read daylighters and it got me thinking about how the Glass House gang's futures would be and I got inspired. Hope you enjoy! Sorry if the times in this story are wrong, but I figured out that since Feast Of Fools was set in October and Care Corpus (Claire's birthday) was 6th months later, that Claire's birthday was in April. So Claire would be turning 19 in April 2014.

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Title: Smiling  
Time: November 2014  
POV: Shane

The second that I heard our daughters tiny, innocent cries, I swear that my heart stopped. She was so small and perfect; 10 fingers, 10 toes. The doctor passed her to Claire and I saw tears well up in her eyes as she held our baby in her arms.

Our baby. That was the strangest sentence I'd ever heard, yet it was filled with some much joy and love that I'd ever felt.

Claire looks up at me and I've never seen her so happy. Pure love radiates from her pores, and if she was glowing when she was pregnant, she was practically the sun now. Even covered in sweat and blood, she's never looked so beautiful.

"Does she have a name?" I hear the doctor ask us and both of ours heads snap up. We hadn't discussed this, but we both knew. Claire nodded at me.

"Carrie Alyssa Collins" I choke out.

The doctor smiles approvingly, "Pretty... I'll give you three a minute"

She walks out, leaving Claire, Carrie and I alone. I almost choke at thought. There wasn't two of us any more, there was three. Three.

My arms begin to ache for the baby. I need to hold her. Claire picks up on this and holds Carrie out towards me. I place my hands under Carrie's body and gently lift her up towards me. She's quieted down now, no longer screaming her head off. I notice that she's staring right at me. Not through me, like some babies. Right at me, almost as if she's paying attention to who I am.

"Hi Carrie," I whisper.

She squirms a little, like she's trying to reply. I look down at her, taking in everything about her. She has thick light brown hair, like mine and Claire's brown eyes. She's red like every other newborn, but I can tell that she has my skin tone. She has a perfect little nose and a typical, round baby face. She's the perfect combination of Claire and I, but she's neither of us at the same time. She's her own little person.

Even in a happy moment like this, there's still a burning fire inside of me. I will protect her. Sure, after the whole daylighters thing, the vamps have calmed down, but there is still no way to be sure that they're entirely safe. Especially with Claire and I's reputation, she's at more a risk. Amelie's promised protection for Carrie, but I still feel the need to give her something extra.

Carrie will not be hurt by the vampires, she won't feel the pain I felt growing up; having my family torn apart by blood and alcohol. She won't be forced too grow up too soon like Alyssa and I were, she won't have her heart broken by death of loved ones. I'll make sure of it.

"Thank you," I whisper to Claire.

"What for?" She asks.

"Giving me her"

Claire laughs a little her, the noise making my steel heart flutter, "She's half yours, too. Without you, we wouldn't have her."

I smile and look down at Carrie settling down in my arms. She's struggling to keep her eyes open as she snuggles into the crook of my elbow, "I know but you did all the work."

That's true. Without Claire, there would be no chance of Carrie existing. She was Carrie's home, food and breathing for 9 months. She was the one suffering from morning sickness, back pain and mood swings, not me. She was the one who just sat through 12 hours of labour, just for our little girl. There's nothing I could ever do for Carrie that would compare with that.

With Carrie asleep in my arms, I look over at Claire. She's also getting tired, I can tell it in her eyes.

"You can go to sleep if you want" I mumble, "We'll be right here when you wake up."

"I hope Carrie likes being an only child because I am never doing that again." She mumbles.

Claire lies down on the bed, without closing her eyes. She stares right at Carrie and I, smiling.


	2. Pony

**Drabble No.2 in the series, this time it's Michael and Eve! I also want to say a big thank you to insaneantics21, for 'puppy verse' which undoubtedly insired these drabbles and the timeline in which they are set! If you like these drabbles then check out her Brittana-themed ones (glee).**

**Title: **Pony

**Time: **December 2019

**POV: **Claire

"We're home!" Shane yelled, bounding through the front door. 5 year-old-Carrie followed shortly after.

Carrie was short with long brown hair and brown eyes. She wore a pink skirt with a cream jumper and matching tights. She had a fluffy pink coat which surprisingly, Eve had picked out. Shane was carrying her lunchbox: a pink case with kittens on the front.

I lifted her up for a cuddle, "How was school? Did you have fun."

"Yes." She replied and took a deep breath, a sign that she was about to ramble. I looked over at Shane's amused look which told me that she hadn't shut up about school the whole way home, "We went to a farm today and Miss said that we couldn't touch the animals but Billy put his hand in too the horse and nothing happened so I put my hand in too and he licked me!"

"Billy?" I asked, jokingly.

"No, the pony." She said in all seriousness, obviously not catching on to the fact that I was joking.

"Ugh." Shane joked, licking Carrie's hand playfully "Bet his tounge was all slimy."

Carrie pulled her hand away quickly, "Ew, Daddy!"

I put Carrie down on the floor and she ran into the living room, presumably to draw or lay with her toys. I smiled and kissed Shane.

"How was work?" I asked.

"Good." He replied, "Rad set the fire alarm off and we had to do a full was quite funny."

"Riveting." I mumble sarcatically and Shane pulls tounges at me.

"You had to be there."

Shane and I walked into the living room where Carrie was lying on her stomach on the carpet, drawing or writing something. I threw myself down onto the sofa and put my feet up. Shane lay down on the floor next to Carrie.

"What'cha doing, pumpkin?" I heard him ask.

"Writing a letter to Santa," Carrie replied innocently. She's so cute.

"What are you asking him for?"

"A pony."

"A..." Shane gulped, "Pony?"

"Yep." Carrie sung as she searched around for a pen. She found it under a cushion and carried on writing, using messy scribbles that only a 5-year-old could decipher.

Shane looked at me with fear in his eyes and I stared back. Carrie was asking for a pony for Christmas. But there was no way that we could give her a pony. Logically, we didn't have the money, time or expertise required to look after a pony. But if she woke up on Christmas morning expecting a pony then didn't get one, she'd question whether Santa was real and I didn't want that to happen.

Shane and I had came up with a plan: get Michael to dress up as Santa and explain to Carrie why she wouldn't be getting a pony for Christmas. Genius.

"Ho ho ho," Michael laughed as he walked into the living room, "Is there a Carrie in here?"

Shane, who was standing beside Carrie whispered to her, "Who's that, Carrie? Is that Santa?"

"Santa!" Carrie echoed, breaking free from Shane to hug Michael.

Michael sat down and swung Carrie up onto his knee. The look of joy on Carrie's face was amazing. She looked so happy.

"Hello, Carrie." Michael said in the deepest voice he could manage, "How are you?"

"I'm okay." Carrie answered, "You?" How cute. She made me so proud when she was polite like that. She made me proud all the time. I looked over at Eve, who was standing by the door chuckling.

"Now, Carrie. You've been a very good girl this year." Carrie nodded as Michael/Santa spoek to her, "So what would you like for christmas?"

"A pony." Carrie shot out, quickly and firmy.

"Now, Carrie, there's a slight problem with that." Michael sighed, "You see, ponys are very heavy and the sleigh just can't carry one."

Carrie looked like she was about to cry and my heart broke for her, "But Santa's magic."

Michael gave her a hug and said, "I'm sorry Carrie. Is there anything else you want for christmas?"

"No." Carrie sighed.

The room was silent now, all watching Carrie's reaction like she was a bomb about to go off. Michael looked exasperated as he asked, "Are you sure there's not one thing you'd like for christmas? Not anything besides a pony?"

"Well, there is one thing..."

Everyone let out their breath as 'Santa' asked Carrie what that one thing was, "Ho ho ho, well what would that be, my dear?"

"A baby cousin."

Eve burst out into giggles while Michael just sat there looking shocked, "Well maybe the sleigh _can _fit a pony, after all." he mumbled.


	3. Christmas Miracle

**Yay, so there's more Michael and Eve in this chapter if you're a fan of them! If not then you should skip the next few chapters...**

**Title: **Christmas Miracle

**Time: **December 2019

**POV: **Michael

It was christmas eve and I was lying on the sofa with Eve. Her head was resting in my lap and I was stroking her hair lovingly. Eve and I still lived in the Glass house although it had been refurbished since Shane and Claire moved out just before Carrie was born.

My mind ket replaying Carrie's (my beautiful, talented 'neice') words: " "A baby cousin".

She wanted a litte cousin for christmas. A baby. Mine and Eve's specifically. I couldn't help but laugh at that on, she was a cute kid. The thought of Eve and I having a baby scared me a little, but not like it used too.

If you'd have asked me a few years ago, I would have been scared of the commitment. Having a baby meant forever, you could never give up on a child or decide you want something else. I've always loved Eve, but when I was younger - mainly the vampire ages - forever seemed so long and I didn't know what I wanted from it yet.

It was slightly easier now. I am 100% commited to Eve (I always was, deep inside) and the thought of having something we could share forever doesn't seem so bad anymore. I suppose, I could even say that I _want _a baby. The timing is up to Eve, of course, but definitly in the future.

I felt Eve squirm as a small neighing sound came from across the room. Eve sighed angrily, as she asked "When will Shane be here anyway? That _thing _is wrecking the carpet".

I laughed slightly as Eve called the pony, 'that thing'. Yes, you heard that right, there is a pony in our living room. Shane and Claire caved in and agreed to buy Carrie a pony, after all. Carrie wasn't spoilt but this year, they are definitly spoiling Carrie.

There was a knock on the door.

"Speak of the devil" I murmered, as Eve sat up from leaning on me.

"_The devil _is definitly the right way too describe Shane..." Eve grumbled, only half-jokingly.

I walked over to the door and let Shane in. I gave him a *cough* manly *cough* hug and patted him on the back.

"So where is it then?" He asked, all flustered. Morganville had came a long way since the days of innocent humans being attacked but it was still best to stay insides at night. It was around 9:30pm so I assumed that he and Claire had just put Carrie to bed before Shane drove round here to get the pony. It was a shetland, so it was small enough that they could keep it in their back yard. It was fluffy and dark brown and must have cost a small fortune for Shane and Claire. They'd bought it about a week ago and we'd kept it since then.

Shane led the pony outside, said his goodbyes to us then headed home. I went back inside, poured Eve a glass of wine and took it into her. She was watching Home Alone and I'm sure that she was nearly crying when Kevin got left on his own.

She looked shocked as I passed her the glass, "Aw, thank you. You're so sweet". She kissed me and put the glass down. She snuggled into me and we carried on watching the film. I noticed that she hadn't drank her wine yet.

"Aren't you going to drink that?" I asked.

She chuckled slightly, then became serious, "I have something to tell you..." she began.

My heart stopped as my mind flew through every single possibility. Was she breaking up with me? Had she been fired? Was she sick?

"I'm pregnant." She started.

Everything froze. I remember when Shane found out that Claire was pregnant, he freaked out. I didn't understand why he'd reacted how he did, until now. I'd wanted kids, but it still came as a huge shock.

Eve began to ramble now, clearly terrified of how I was taking it, "I only found out a coule days ago, sorry. I wnt to doctors because I felt sick and the he told an dI kept it a surprise until now. I should have told you, I don't know what I was..."

I cut her off with a kiss, "I love you"

She looked shocked, but happy, "I love you too".

That was definitly the best christmas eve (see what I did there) present ever.


	4. Double Trouble

**Thank you all for all the wonderful reviews, it really means a lot to me :)**

**Title: **Double Vision

**Time: **February 2020

**POV: **Eve

I was sitting at the doctors office with Michael, waiting for my 20 week scan. Michael was taping his foot nervously whilst gripping tightly onto my hand. We were hoping to find out if we were having a boy or a girl and it really was nerve wracking.

"Everything will be fine sweetie..." I whispered to him, lazing one hand on my officially noticable bump.

"I guess so, I mean there's really nothing that can go wrong." Michael said, visibily relaxing a bit and drooping his shoulders, "We're too late in the game for twins anyway."

"That's the spirit. I know for a fact that there's nothing wrong health-wise, I just know" I reassured him

"I love you," he whispered, kissing me on the cheek.

"I love you too."

You know how a couple minutes seems like a couple hours were your waiting at the doctors? Well, I was totally feeling it. Like Michael, I was little bit nervous, but I was mor excited than anything. Even if we couldn't find out the gender today, we'd still get too see or baby again.

I wanted a boy. Michael wanted a girl. I wanted a mini-Michael (I'd also heard that boys were easier). For Michael, it was a bit more compliacated. He wanted a daughter that he could protect and love. He'd always been protective of those that he loved. He wouldn't let anybody even _look _at me the wrong way and when Claire first came to the Glass House, he saw Claire as a little sister. He was amazing with Carrie too. I mean, I don't know any other men who would dress up as Santa to entertain their 5-year-old neice, do you?

"Eve Glass?" I heard the nurse call as Michael and I stood up.

Our sonagrammer was really kind and kept asking how I felt and what symptoms I'd been experiencing and I couldn't lie, as far as pregnancies goes, I'd been lucky. I'd experienced a little nasuea at the beginning but it quickly went away.

She put the cold little gooey thing (like seriously, what is that actually called) on my stomach and then waved her little stick (another thing I don't know the name for).

"Okay Eve, in a second, we should hear the baby's heartbeat." My OBGYN, Laura, told us, "Here we go..."

There was a steady thump as the soft rhythm of a heartbeat filled the room. But something was off, the heartbeat wasn't alone. Wait. That can't be right. Ther was more than one heartbeat?

"Oh." Laura sighed, "It seems that we missed something last time"

My own heart was racing now and probably so was Michaels as she said the dreaded words "You're having twins."

Twins. As in two. TWO. Michael and I had wanted two children, that wasn't the problem. But we'd expected at least a few years to prepare for the second and to go from a family of 2 to a family of 4 was cary.

We had a nursery ready, for ONE. We had a spare bedroom, for ONE. We had names picked out, for ONE. We would have completely change everything!

Michael and I were still shocked and it wasn't until we got home that it settled in. We were having two babies.

"Twins..." Michael muttered as he sat at the table with his head in his hands.

"Yep," I confirmed, slumping down next to him, "Twins."

Michael looked up at me and smiled, "I guess twins could be cool."

"You do?"

"Yeah, I mean, its double the money and double the work but it's a ready made family and twins usually grow up to be close."

"Yeah," I smiled widely, "You're right."

I put my hand gently on my stomach, thought about the babies that were in there and couldn't help but smile: twins.


End file.
